College Football Playoff

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF - PAGE 3

Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether college football's Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise. Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) are introducing a resolution rejecting the oft-criticized bowl system as an illegal restriction on trade because only the largest universities compete in most of the major bowl games. The resolution would require Justice's antitrust division to investigate whether the system violates federal law. The measure also would put Congress on record as supporting a college football playoff.

The Sports Xchange Michigan State AD supports playoff expansion Add Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis as yet another proponent of expanding the College Football Playoff beyond four teams. In recent days, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds have said four teams is OK for now, but for the long term, a playoff should include at least eight teams. "I'm not so sure that four is the right answer," Hollis told SiriusXM College Sports Nation.

The Sports Xchange Texas AD Dodds wants eight-team playoff Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds is pleased with the establishment of a four-team football playoff. He just hopes growing the College Football Playoff to eight or more teams gains more support. "It's a baby step, it's a good step," Dodds said Thursday at the Big 12 spring meeting in Irving, Texas. "I'm kind of an eight-team (playoff) person. " Texas and the Big 12 aren't surprised by Dodds' comments. He's been stumping for a playoff-based postseason in college football since the Big 12 was the Big Eight.

You always can count on two stories being told during the holiday season: Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and the usual variations of "When is college football going to stage a playoff?" from numerous sportswriters and commentators. Playoff proponents seem to pop out of Christmas trees this time of year, and with good reason. A college football playoff remains the last great untapped sports television bonanza. Playoff talk mostly has been just that--talk. But the ABCs of college football could change.

There will be a college football playoff. It won't include the bowls. But it will happen because of the bowls. There, I said it. After years of believing a college football playoff was a talk-radio fantasy, I've finally come around. As the Tribune's college football writer from 1988-93, I wrote more than my share of playoff stories. In fact, at holiday time, I always thought there were two rituals: the annual telling of "The Christmas Carol" and the annual recitation of "Should college football have a playoff?"

Dave Brandon was not a fan of a college football playoff. But four teams playing a total of two games to determine a champion is not a playoff, per the Michigan athletic director. So, as Big Ten meetings concluded Wednesday in downtown Chicago, it turns out he's fine with everything. Carry on. "I don't view this four-team concept that's currently being discussed as a true playoff," Brandon said. "That's where maybe my past comments have been confused. When I think playoff, I think eight teams, 16 teams, something that takes a large number of teams, where you truly try to identify who is the champion.

First Jack Swarbrick served as stand-in spokesman Wednesday to affirm the consensus on the now-inevitable four-team college football playoff. Then he again affirmed Notre Dame is happy right where it is. Yes, the Irish will have access to the new championship mechanism as a football independent, a crucial flash point. But, no, the Irish will not shift allegiance of other sports to the Big 12 soon, as a report contended could occur by the end of summer. "I saw that and I thought (Bob)

No. 3 Oregon at No. 5 Stanford 9 p.m. Thursday, ESPN The buzz: Besides the obvious BCS implications, this one could decide the Pac-12 North race. The winner likely will play for the conference championship and a spot in the Rose Bowl - if it's not playing in the national title game. Last year, Shayne Skov and the Stanford defense smothered the explosive Oregon offense in a 17-14 overtime victory that derailed the top-ranked Ducks' national title hopes. It was only the second Cardinal win over Oregon in the last 11 meetings.

Dave Brandon still opposes a college football playoff. But the Michigan athletic director doesn't consider the idea of four teams playing three games to determine a national champion to be a playoff. So, yeah, totally fine. Carry on. "When I think playoff, I think eight teams, 16 teams, where you truly try to identify who is the champion," Brandon said Wednesday as Big Ten meetings wrapped up downtown. "What we're doing now, we're coming up with a way to play an extra football game.

The Sports Xchange Press Box: Texas AD wants more teams in playoff Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds is pleased with the establishment of a four-team football playoff. He just hopes growing the College Football Playoff to eight or more teams gains more support. "It's a baby step, it's a good step," Dodds said Thursday at the Big 12 spring meeting in Irving, Texas. "I'm kind of an eight-team (playoff) person. " League commissioner Bob Bowlsby said he discussed 15 names for consideration to serve on the playoff's selection committee.